A newborn’s speedy sleep pattern is also affected by their small tummies, which cause them to digest breast milk and formula at a rapid pace. That’s the reason they wake up every two or three hours feeling hungry. During the first few months when you’re keeping their schedule, you experience sleep fragmentation. These constant breaks in your sleep cycle cause you to spend less time in deep sleep and more time in light sleep. Likely coming as no surprise—this is a recipe for exhaustion.

How to maximize the sleep you’re getting

Things will eventually improve. Your baby will start sleeping through the night and the new parent anxieties that keep you up will lessen. Until that time comes, you’ll want to take some steps to ensure you maintain some semblance of rest.

1. Nap when the baby naps

It may sound trite, but one of the healthiest things you can do as a new parent is accept that you can’t do it all. Let your dishes and laundry pile up, and go take a nap. Even if you can’t complete a full sleep cycle, the extra rest will do good for your body and mind.

2. Give your bedroom an easy makeover

While changing your wall color and buying new bedding would be nice, this isn’t that kind of makeover. Instead, consider making some alterations to your bedroom’s light, noise and temperature levels.

You can make daytime naps easier by installing some blackout shades or wearing a sleep mask. We also recommend getting a white noise machine to drown out the buzz from the outside world.

As for the temperature, it’s better to be on the cooler end of the spectrum. Our bodies’ core temperatures drop to initiate sleep. When we’re too warm, this process is slowed or stopped altogether. Ensure that you’ll drift off faster by keeping your bedroom’s temperature between65-70 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Let’s talk about that baby monitor

Baby monitors are great, don’t get us wrong. But when your baby hits that four month mark, they’re starting to sleep in more regular sleep cycles. Consider separating from the baby monitor at this point, if even for just a night to start. While a monitor can be a helpful tool in feeling connected and safe, it can be an unnecessary sleep stealer once your child has established more consistent sleep. In regard to SIDs-related safety, check out a sensor pad or a device like Owlet instead for added peace of mind.

4. Go for a stroll

Try putting your baby in the stroller and heading out for a brisk walk (weather permitting, of course). Fresh air has a way of lifting spirits, and the sunlight will help regulate both you and your baby’s circadian clocks. Plus, adding movement to your day is great for your sleep and will help make you feel more alert during the day.

5. Be aware of your caffeine consumption

Because caffeine has ahalf-life of five to seven hours, it takes your body anywhere between 10-14 hours to fully be rid of it. A cup or two of coffee in the morning will likely not affect your sleep at night (and let’s be honest: sometimes it’s the only way to make it through the aforementioned sleep deprivation), but think about giving yourself a cutoff mid-afternoon.

While a good night’s sleep may seem like a distant memory, remind yourself that this won’t last forever. In the meantime, take care of yourself and rest when you can. Sleep does wonders in making you the parent, spouse, and friend you want to be.

You know that not getting enough sleep will make you irritable, but one study suggests that sleep-deprivation causes adults to dole out harsher punishments.

As for your kids? On top of the damage it does to their cognitive abilities and physical health, sleep-deprived children are cranky, more likely to behave badly, and often exhibit signs of hyperactivity and lack of focus (sleep deprivation is sometimes confused with ADHD in kids). Combine that with a tired parent’s short fuse and you have a recipe for more family feuds. By making a good night’s sleep a family initiative, you may be able to improve the emotional environment of your home.

4 tips for a healthy family sleep routine

1. Put the electronics to bed.

The cues start with you. Asurvey by the National Sleep Foundation found that if a child’s parents slept with one or more electronic device on (e.g., smartphone, tablet) the child is more likely to do the same. The same survey found that both parents and kids sleeping with their devices exhibit poorer sleep quality than those who keep their devices off or out of the room.

Pro tip: Set up a communal charging area in your home where you and your kids can plug in devices for the night. You’ll know they’re sleeping without their devices and getting better rest because of it.

2. Eat dinner earlier.

Young children take more time to digest their food. They need to eat at least two hours before bedtime to sleep well.

3. Enforce your bedtime rules.

Setting rules and sticking to them will make a big difference for everyone. Set a caffeine cutoff for 2 p.m., and set definite cut-off times for television, computers, and video games.

4. Develop a consistent routine.

Getting everyone to sleep at the appropriate time every night is a good start, but following a consistent bedtime routine signals to our brains that we’re going to sleep soon, allowing them to shut down even faster.

Lay out clothes for the next day, brush teeth, and end the night with a wind-down activity such as reading together—which we recommend as both a great activity that’s been tied to academic performance and also as a relaxing activity to prepare the body for bed.

As with everything else in your life as a parent, setting a good example of healthy sleep habits starts with you. It might be a challenge to reverse some bad habits (we recommend trying one new thing at a time) but the payoff is worth it. After all, healthier and happier families is something we can all get behind.

You can expect a good 7-10 years out of a premium mattress, but eventually it will succumb to the wear and tear of supporting your body every night. At that point, it stops providing you with proper support, leading to aches, pains, less-than-stellar sleep—and the need to find a replacement.

But how do you know for sure when you need a new mattress? Here are 10 telltale signs:

1. Obvious sagging

The most visible indication that a mattress needs to be replaced, sagging may as well be an “It’s Time to Replace Your Mattress” sign. It’s also a symptom that applies to all mattress types, as springs break down over time, memory foam gets softer, and the fibers in other materials compress—all of which lead to sagging. Don’t wait for a crater to form in the middle of your bed. Even minor sags of 1-2 inches shouldn’t be ignored, as they can mean a lack of support for the most vulnerable parts of your body.

2. Quite the impression

This one applies specifically to memory foam mattresses and can be a bit tricky to decipher. See, memory foam is supposed to “remember” your body and sleeping position (hence the name)—but only to a certain degree. After you get out of bed, the foam should mostly return to its original position. However, over time the cellular structure of memory foam breaks down, becoming softer and losing its ability to bounce back, aka to support you. If your memory foam mattress has a body impression that stays long after you’ve gotten up, or if the impression is deeper than two inches, it’s time to replace it.

3. The Goldilocks effect

Memory foam mattress owners should also take note if their mattress becomes too hard or too soft. Because of memory foam’s sensitivity to temperature (the reason that many people “sleep hot” on memory foam mattresses), it will become hard over time when kept in a small room, or soft over time when kept in a warm room. This change in firmness can wreak havoc on your comfort.

4. One lump or two?

When the padding within the mattress shifts around over time, you may see lumps in your mattress. This uneven density can mean you’re not supported where you’re supposed to be. It can also cause uncomfortable pressure points. Though lumps are more common with lower-quality mattresses, it can also happen with higher-end mattresses that have run their course.

5. Age is just a number…unless you’re a mattress

Even if your mattress is showing none of the above signs, if it’s more than seven years old, you should apply some scrutiny to it. Most mattresses will need to be replaced after 7-10 years. Even if you think you’re sleeping fine, there’s a chance that you’ve just become slowly accustomed to a less-than-excellent sleeping experience.

6. What a pain

Sleep is a time for your body to recover from the stresses it experienced during the day, whether that’s an intense gym session or too much sitting at your desk. So if you wake up with more aches and pains than you had when you went to bed, your mattress is likely the culprit. Because of the gradual degradation and softening of a mattress’s materials, it loses its ability to provide crucial support for vulnerable areas like your neck, low back, and hips. On top of that, as cushioning gets worn down, it can create painful pressure points. When your back is sagging and springs are jabbing your hips, then waking up with aches and pains is inevitable.

So if you wake up feeling beat up rather than refreshed, chances are your mattress needs to go (this is even more likely to be the case if you wake up with pain and it gets better throughout the day).

7. Up all night

If you can’t fall asleep, or frequently wake up during the night and adjust positions, it could be time to replace your mattress. Of course, other things like stress or poor sleep hygiene can keep you up at night, too. But if you’re tossing and turning into the wee hours, chances are your mattress no longer provides you with the proper comfort and you need a new one. If you seem to sleep through the night but still wake up tired, the same may very well be true.

8. Sleeping for two

One of the more exciting reasons for getting a new mattress is becoming pregnant. Because your body is undergoing so many changes during and after pregnancy, a customizable mattress and adjustable bed is a great choice that will provide support during every stage of the journey. Custom support for side-sleeping will help support your belly and prevent back pain during pregnancy, and can be easily changed back to your usual sleep preference afterward. Plus, an adjustable bed makes getting out bed easier when you’re pregnant. It also makes nursing more comfortable and can help protect abdominal muscles after a C-section.

9. Active allergies

Over time, most types of mattresses can accumulate allergens like mold, mildew, and dust mites. If you’re allergic to these irritants, that means that your mattress will trigger an allergic reaction. So if you notice yourself sneezing when you get close to the bed or a stuffed up in the morning, it’s probably time to evaluate your mattress situation. When choosing a new mattress, consider hypoallergenic materials like wool or latex.

10. It’s not you, it’s me

Sometimes everything is still perfectly fine with your mattress, but circumstances in your own life necessitate that you get a new one. This could be the case if you sustained an injury, lost or gained a significant amount of weight, or have a new bed partner. If your mattress is still in the prime of its life but you’re not getting the support you need anymore, don’t feel guilty about letting it go—just find a mattress donation location near you.

For co-parenting couples, striking the right sleep balance with one another can be difficult, but it will be one of the most important things you can do for the sake of your child, your relationship, and your overall health. With that in mind, here are three tips to help parents strike a healthy sleep balance.

1. Divvy up the newborn night shift

Many couples choose to put the responsibility of night feedings on one person’s shoulders, particularly if that individual is a stay-at-home parent or breastfeeding mom. But with most babies not sleeping through the night until thesix-month marker or beyond, this can be extremely taxing.

Studies have shown that sleep deprivation affects our abilities to interpret how our actions affect others and the other way around. So, unless we want to see our spouses become insensitive, socially-inept zombies, it’s probably best to split up the night.

Approach night feedings with shifts. If one of you is naturally a night owl, let that person stay up later to tackle the first feeding while the other snoozes. Then swap so the night owl can sleep until morning. Another alternative is to switch on and off nightly, with one person getting a full night’s rest, while the other answers the baby.

For breastfeeding mothers, these ideas may mean pumping ahead of time and getting your baby used to taking a bottle. No matter which method you choose, remember to be flexible with your routine, and acknowledge that from time to time, one of you may need to lean on the other for a little extra sleep.

2. Talk it out

If your current sleeping setup isn’t working, make time to talk about it with your partner. Have the discussion when you’re both rested (more on that to come) and when you’re free from distractions (yes, your children count as distractions.) This will give you both a leg up in your abilities to listen and express yourselves.

Resist the urge to frame the conversation around who does more on less sleep. Instead, explain the ways in which you’re struggling and ask for help. Odds are your partner has also been holding in strong feelings on this topic, so be ready to hear them out.

Since parenting takes teamwork, try thinking of this conversation as reworking the playbook you and your teammate have been running. It’s not getting us the results we thought it would. How do we adjust so we can both feel like we’re winning?

Lastly, be ready to have a conversation about sleep balance a few times over the course of your child’s life. Your kiddo’s sleep schedule will continue evolving as they grow. Keep the lines of communication open with your partner and you’ll both sleep happier.

3. Sleep more. Bicker less.

Yet another motivation for striking a sleep balance, studies have shown that lack of sleep leads tomore frequent and severe conflicts among couples. When you and/or your better half aren’t getting enough sleep, you’re more likely to bicker and have a harder time resolving the issues.

If something’s bothering you, sleep on it and say your piece after getting some shut-eye.

Bonus tip: Take turns sleeping in or napping on weekends.

It may sound like a no-brainer, but Saturday and Sunday are the only days of the week where one of you can catch up on sleep while the other watches the kids. Try alternating weekends, or have one of you take Saturdays, while the other gets every Sunday.

There’s no one-size-fits-all for sleep-deprived parents, but we hope these tips have given you some new ideas to try or inspired you to have a conversation about sleep balance with your partner. Just remember: you both deserve empathy, and you both deserve a good night’s sleep!

The closeness of these two figures may be more than coincidence. A growing body of research shows a strong association between sleep deprivation and weight gain. In a meta-analysis that encompassed 634,511 subjects, both male and female, ranging in age from 2 to 102, researchers found a consistent increased risk of obesity among those who don’t sleep enough.

So what role does sleep loss play in weight gain—and, on the flip side, can quality sleep help with weight loss?

Weary willpower

Before a bunch of unhealthy food can cause weight gain, you first have to make the decision to eat that unhealthy food. And there’s a great deal of evidence that sleep plays a major role in deciding whether or not you indulge.

Sleep deprivation dulls activity in the brain’s frontal lobe, which is the region responsible for decision making and impulse control. So when a coworker offers you a donut, you take it, rather than eating the yogurt you so dutifully packed.

What’s more, being overly tired actually makes your brain more interested in junk than you’d normally be. This is because sleep deprivation lights up your brain’s reward center, leading you to seek “pleasurable, rewarding experiences”… such as the nefarious donut mentioned earlier.

In one study from Berkeley, participants rated the desirability of certain foods both when they were well-rested and then again after sleep deprivation. In the state of sleep debt, the amygdala portion of the brain (which is involved in emotions, pleasure and appetite, and an important part of the brain’s reward system) was highly activated. Participants consistently rated unhealthy, high-calorie foods as more desirable than they had when they were well-rested.

The research bears out in real life, too. Sleep-deprived Japanese factory workers are more likely to snack between meals, eat out, and not eat vegetables; Americans who don’t sleep enough consume more sugar and have less variety in their diet; in Germany, inadequate sleep is associated with increased fast food consumption.

And to top it all off, sleep-deprived people also eat bigger portions. Bottom line: sleep helps you resist temptation and make smarter food choices.

Fatigue and fullness

So say you’re sleep-deprived and you splurge on two (okay, three) slices of pizza at lunch. At least you’ll be full for a while and not eat anymore waistline-expanding goodies, right?

Well, maybe not.

Short sleep disrupts the balance of your hormones, including leptin and ghrelin. Leptin is often referred to as the “satiety hormone,” causing you to feel full and suppressing appetite, while ghrelin triggers hunger and plays a large role in initiating eating.

When you’re not well-rested, your leptin levels plummet and your ghrelin levels rise; one study found that subjects who slept for 5 hours had 15.5% lower leptin than those who slept a full 8 hours, and 14.9% higher ghrelin. This means that you’ll not only be eating less healthy, more caloric food—you’ll also feel hungrier and seek food more frequently.

Sleepless and stress-full

Among the many benefits of proper sleep is that it can reduce stress, which, in turn, can help reduce your weight. How? It comes back to another hormone—this time, cortisol.

Cortisol is a hormone that is released in response to stress, and its levels are closely tied to our natural sleep/wake cycles. So when those cycles get disrupted, so do those levels, causing a spike in cortisol in the bloodstream.

This spike doesn’t just make you feel stressed out. Cortisol causes fat to be stored around the organs (especially visceral organs, which translates to belly fat), and also causes fat cells to become larger. Studies have shown that elevated cortisol can cause increased belly fat even in otherwise slender individuals.

Metabolism malfunction

You know how not sleeping well makes you feel groggy and lethargic? Well, turns out your metabolism feels pretty much the same way.

When you’re well-rested, your metabolism is a well-oiled machine, efficiently processing the calories that you consume. On the flip side, when you’re in a state of sleep deprivation, your groggy metabolism can’t keep up with your food intake. What causes this breakdown? It all comes down to insulin.

See, insulin plays an important role in helping our body convert sugar into energy for our cells. When our body can’t properly use insulin (insulin resistance) that sugar remains in our bloodstream and eventually is converted into fat. This is the case for those who have diabetes—and, research shows, for those who aren’t getting enough sleep.

One study showed that after just four nights of short sleep, subjects’ ability to respond to insulin decreased by 16%—a difference comparable to that between the cells of obese vs. lean people—and the insulin sensitivity of their fat cells dropped by 30%. The latter is particularly important because fat cells play a crucial role in storing and releasing energy. Meanwhile, insulin resistance in the brain means that insulin can’t do its job of reducing hunger cues.

One report put it in stark terms: “Chronic sleep loss can reduce the capacity of even young adults to perform basic metabolic functions, such as processing and storing carbohydrates or regulating hormone secretion.”

Too sleepy to sweat

Anyone who has tried to slim down or get into better shape knows the importance of regular exercise, as well as how tough it can be to get into a workout routine. To the surprise of exactly nobody, not getting enough sleep makes it much more difficult to achieve this.

It’s intuitive—when you’re tired, you don’t want to go exert a bunch of energy. And studies show that subjects with sleep problems report a significant reduction in their levels of physical activity. What’s more, the increased ghrelin and decreased leptin levels associated with sleep loss mean an overall reduction in energy expenditure.

Sweet dreams for good genes

Your lifestyle is a huge factor in determining your weight, but the fact is that genetics also play a role. This can be super discouraging to those who are working hard to eat right and work out but still can’t lose the weight because of a genetic predisposition to a higher BMI.

However, research shows that adequate sleep can reduce the influence your genetics have on your weight. In a study of identical twins that looked at BMI, genetics, and lifestyle factors including diet, exercise, and sleep habits, they found that the BMI variations in those who slept adequately were less dependent on genetics. However, those who slept less saw 70% of their BMI variations come from hereditary factors.

The final word

From the food you choose to eat, to how your body processes that food, to your workouts, to the relative impact of all of these components, sleep influences every aspect of your weight. Diet and exercise may get more press, but science has made it increasingly clear that sleep is the essential third pillar of fitness.

Also referred to as a Split Head King and a DreamTop™ King, this is a newer entry into the market. Pros: It is built for use with a power adjustable base, with a split in the head section of the mattress about a third of the way down. This allows separate movement of head portion of the bed, which is the section that has the largest range of movement. The idea is to give an option to couples who like to cuddle while sleeping without the seam of a Split mattress. The foot of the bed, which rises less than the head, can still be operated separately, but is one piece. Cons: This bed requires special sheets, which can be harder to find, but are sold by some manufacturers who offer this mattress size, including Reverie.

SPLIT TOP CALIFORNIA KING, 72”W X 84”L

Also referred to as a DreamTop™ California Split King. Same as Split Top King above, except for the size, which is 4” longer and 4” less wide. Great for taller couples who like to cuddle while sleeping but who want the comfort options that a power base provides. Also good for couples whose pet sleeps at the foot of the bed.

SPLIT KING, 38”W X 80”L

(Two mattresses used side by side, for a total size of 76”W x 80”L)

An innovative newer option, Split King beds are made for use with power adjustable bases. Pros: They are great for couples who have different preferences for firmness in a mattress. They’re good for couples with different sleep preferences or schedules, allowing each partner to sleep in a different position, or one partner to read elevated while the other sleeps flat. They’re also nice for people who have different body temperatures; for instance, the partner who sleeps hot can opt for natural latex and the partner who sleeps cold might like a memory foam option. With a split king, you each get your own fitted sheet and can either sleep with one big flat sheet, or get your own completely different twin sheet sets and blankets, if one of you is known to steal the covers. If the power base has a massage function, each partner can use that separately, too, without disturbing the other. Cons: People who like to cuddle while sleeping sometimes find the seam down the middle bothersome.

SPLIT CALIFORNIA KING, 36”W X 84”L

(Two mattresses used side by side, for a total size of 72”W x 84”L)

Pros: A Split California King mattress gives ample space and length to each sleeper. When paired with adjustable bases, Split California King beds offer more comfort choices for couples who have different preferences in mattress firmness, sleeping positions or who keep different sleep schedules (see Split King description above). If the power base has a massage function, each partner can use that separately, too, without disturbing the other. Cons: People who like to cuddle while sleeping sometimes find the seam down the middle bothersome.

QUEEN, 60”W X 80”L

Pros: Queen mattresses are nice for couples with moderately sized bedrooms, bigger guest rooms, or couples who just like to sleep close together. Allows significantly more space than a full size mattress, with an extra 6” of width and 6” of length. This is also a good option for taller single sleepers who like to more space while sleeping. Cons: For couples with a bigger sleep footprint, queen size mattresses can feel cramped. A King mattress would give them an extra 12-18” of space.

SPLIT TOP QUEEN, 60”W X 80”L

Also referred to as a Split Head Queen and a DreamTop™ Queen, this mattress is built for couples with moderately sized bedrooms who want to maximize the comfort of their adjustable power base. Pros: Each partner can enjoy separate movement on his or her sides of the bed, sleeping or watching tv in different positions or perhaps using the bed massage function (or not). The top section of the mattress is split about a third of the way down, allowing separate movement of the head portion of the bed (which is the section that with the largest range of movement). The foot of the bed, which rises less than the head, can still be operated separately, but is one piece. Couples can sleep and cuddle in the middle comfortably. Cons: This bed requires special sheets, which can be harder to find, but are sold by some manufacturers who offer this mattress size, including Reverie.

SPLIT QUEEN, 30”W X 80”L

(Two mattresses used side by side, for a total size of 60”W x 80”L)

An option that is still available but starting to fall out of fashion. Split Queen beds are made for use with power adjustable bases. Pros: They allow individual movement of the bed for both partners, accommodating couples who have different preferences in a mattress in terms of firmness, sleeping position, body temperature or schedules. Cons: Splitting a smaller mattress all the way down the middle means having your separate territory can feel cramped at a width of only 30”. People who like to cuddle while sleeping sometimes find the seam down the middle bothersome. Sheets can be hard to find.

FULL, 54”W X 74”L

Full mattresses are great for tiny studio apartments, small guest rooms, single sleepers or children who need more space. Provide extra 16” of width over a twin and allows one sleeper to spread out comfortably as long as they aren’t too tall. Also, if you have a vintage bed, most of them are full size; people used to be smaller decades ago. Cons: At only 27” per person, full mattresses are a tight fit for two and they can be too short for some. There are no split power bases available for this size.

STANDARD TWIN, 38”W X 74”L

The smallest size mattress out there that can still fit an adult. Pros: Twin mattresses are the longtime standard size for kids, teenagers, bunk beds, trundle beds and daybeds. They are economical and fit most standard bed frames. Cons: It’s not a ton of room and most people outgrow them by the time they are adults. Obviously this mattress is only meant for one person.

TWIN XL, 38”W X 80”L

Twin Extra Long mattresses are great for teens’ bedrooms, college dorm rooms and small apartments. They don’t take much space, yet are suitable for young adults and guests that are too tall for regular twin beds. Cons: Even though they add 6” of length over a Standard Twin, they are the same width as a regular twin size mattress and still feel cramped for many adults.

Which is right for you?

Every person and every couple is different, so this advice is not absolute. Due to space considerations, we didn’t complicate things by talking about how, with Reverie, you can also get different firmness on each side of the mattress, even if they’re not split. Should you like to learn more about that, give us a call at 888-888-5990. We hope this detailed information has been helpful. Sleep well!

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REVERIE IN THE NEWS

SPOTLIGHT

Right now, I’m a walking example of the downsides of jet lag. My wife and I recently took our two daughters (both under 3) on an extended business trip to Asia. Essentially, we turned our bodily clocks upside down with a 12-hour change, resulting in several days of sleepless nights, crankiness and general mental haze to bookend the trip. Was it worth it?

IN OTHER NEWS

Right now, I’m a walking example of the downsides of jet lag. My wife and I recently took our two daughters (both under 3) on an extended business trip to Asia. Essentially, we turned our bodily clocks upside down with a 12-hour change, resulting in several days of sleepless nights, crankiness and general mental haze to bookend the trip. Was it worth it?

It seems that from the moment we open our eyes in the morning, technology-based solutions engulf nearly every aspect of our lives. Now, there are a number of companies trying to create tech-based solutions that will also ensure that you get a good night sleep.

Right now, I’m a walking example of the downsides of jet lag. My wife and I recently took our two daughters (both under 3) on an extended business trip to Asia. Essentially, we turned our bodily clocks upside down with a 12-hour change, resulting in several days of sleepless nights, crankiness and general mental haze to bookend the trip. Was it worth it?

In a move to maintain its commitment to customer support, sleep systems manufacturer Reverie has ramped up its training support and added two experienced trainers to its team.

As part of a strategic move to increase its domestic manufacturing, sleep systems manufacturer Reverie will open an Innovation Center in the greater Buffalo area that will serve as the central production facility for its adjustable power bases, the company said.

Putting forth that “a great bed is more than just a mattress,” Reverie has changed the conversation around marketing adjustable bases. While the company offers and promotes a broad spectrum of mattresses featuring its exclusive DreamCell technology as well as innovative adjustable bases for every budget and every body, the company’s main thrust is the synergy between the two that results in optimal sleep.

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